The tall, young forward kicked five goals at the Gabba on Saturday night against Collingwood in his first match of the year. The 19-year-old was matched-up on Nick Maxwell, Harry O’Brien and Simon Prestigiacomo.
Mitchell debuted in Round 1 2006 against Geelong and scored a goal with his first AFL kick. After playing consistently for both the Lions and the Suncoast Lions in the QAFL, Mitchell’s season ended in Round 10 with osteitis pubis.
Mitchell was the Lions’ first selection in the 2005 NAB AFL Draft (selection nine overall). He was drafted after a much publicised bout of meningococcal disease.
Standing at 198cm, Mitchell was a champion junior volleyballer and like Round Four NAB AFL Rising Star nominee Scott Pendlebury, Mitchell turned down an AIS scholarship to focus on Australian football.
Mitchell was recruited from the Riverton Football Club in suburban Perth and East Fremantle. He represented Western Australia in the 2003 NAB AFL Under 16 Championships (where he shared the Division One best and fairest award, the Sheehan Medal, with Brett Deledio) and the 2005 NAB AFL Under 18 Championships. He was also a member of the 2003 AIS-AFL Academy Squad.
Mitchell is the Brisbane Lions’ second nomination this season following ruckman Cam Wood in Round 2. He is also the Lions ninth nomination since the beginning of the 2005 season.
